The present invention relates to the general field of vehicle maintenance accessories and is particularly concerned with a device for removing snow accumulation from a vehicle""s roof.
The roof tops of semi-trailers, vans, trucks and the like represent a relatively large area. In cold climates, owners of such vehicles face the chore of removing snow and ice from the roof tops of such vehicles. The snow and ice removal operation is typically performed manually by several workers shoveling from atop the roof tops.
The operation is both tedious and time consuming. It is associated with relatively high maintenance cost especially when significant snowfalls occurs during a given period and when a large fleet of vehicles must be cleaned. Furthermore, since the cleaning operation can prove to be lengthy, it may even lead to delays in the delivery of goods with the associated potential loss of business.
The removal of snow and ice from the roof tops of vehicles is not only costly but also potentially unergonomical and even dangerous for the individuals who must stand on the slippery roof tops of such vehicles which can reach a height of several meters. The workers performing the shoveling operations are prone to developing lumbar injuries from the constant lifting and twisting motion and are also at great risks of falling from relatively high height with consequent potentially dangerous and even lethal injuries.
Although the shoveling of snow and ice from relatively large vehicle""s roof tops presents major drawbacks, it is nevertheless performed by most truck owners and drivers since the failure to do so may potentially result in disastrous situations.
Indeed, in circumstances where the snow and/or ice is not removed from the roof tops of such vehicles, a slab of snow or ice may eventually fly off the vehicle and strike another vehicle following behind. If such an incident occurs, the driver of the vehicle following may be startled to the point of performing a maneuver causing loss of control of its vehicle. The slab of ice or snow may also potentially impact a windshield with such force so as to break the latter leading to disastrous consequences. Consequently, some regional bylaws recognize that snow and ice atop vehicles pose a threat to the public safety and require that snow and ice be removed from the vehicle before the latter is driven on a public road imposing stiff penalties to offenders.
It is also known that snow and ice remaining on a vehicle""s roof top may potentially significantly alter the aerodynamical characteristics of the vehicle thus leading to increased fuel consumption and, again, therefore to increased cost of operation.
The need for alternative methods of removing snow and ice from vehicle""s roof tops has been recognized in the prior art. For example, some devices include a bridge-like structure made of two vertical beams having an upper cross piece extending thereacross. The bridge-like structure supports a vertically adjustable snow plow assembly which rolls on wheels riding on the vertical beam. A wedge shaped plow forms the lower edge of the snow plowing assembly so that when a snow or ice covered truck or trailer moves under the properly positioned plow, the snow or ice is pushed off the top of the vehicle. Typically, the adjustment of the snow plow height is powered by winch on the cross beam which reels in or releases a chain from which the snow plow is hung.
Although this type of device presents an improvement of the conventionally used method of manually shoveling from atop the vehicles, it still presents major drawbacks.
For example, these prior art structure are ill suited for removing snow and ice from modern truck roof tops which often present a complex and varying relief. Indeed, the snow plow assembly being suspended from a chain may potentially be damaged or itself damage the roof top of the vehicle when the latter is driven thereunder. Certainly, the suspended snow plow assembly is not adapted to follow the general contour of the often aerodynamically shaped roof tops.
Furthermore, such devices are not adapted to take into consideration relatively small structures such as exhaust pipes, reinforcement ribs and the like which often protrude from the roof tops of modern vehicles and are subject to being sheared by the snow plow assembly of the prior art structures.
Furthermore, most prior art structures are not adapted to be adjusted for the varying textures and consistency of the snow and ice mixture lying on the vehicle""s roof top. Indeed, prior art structures lack a means for adjusting pressure exerted by the plow assembly on the roof top depending on the type of vertical pressure required for plowing the snow and ice mixture.
The prior art structures also lack a means for breaking slabs of hardened snow or ice into smaller fragments prior to having the snow plow blade scrape the fragments off the vehicle""s roof top. Conventional prior art structure may thus prove to be useless in situations wherein slabs of ice strongly adhered to the roof top of the vehicle.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved device for removing snow and ice from the roof top of vehicles which circumvent the hereinabove mentioned disadvantages associated with prior art structures.
Advantages of the present invention include that the proposed structure is particularly well suited for use in removing ice and now from the roof top of vehicles such semi-trailers, vans, trucks and the like.
The proposed device is adapted to allow for removal of snow and ice from the roof top of vehicles without undue risks to the operator of the device. Also, the proposed device offers the solution having built-in features for reducing the risk of damaging either the snow removing device or the vehicle while the latter is being cleaned.
More particularly, the proposed device has a built-in means for allowing automatic height adjustment of the scraping blades so that the lower edge thereof is maintained at predetermined spacing distance relative to the roof top.
The proposed device is also provided with a built-in features for allowing the removal of snow and ice between the scraping blade lower peripheral edge and the vehicle""s roof top.
Furthermore, the proposed device has a built-in means for allowing customization of the weight of the snow plow assembly depending on the nature and consistency of the snow and ice mixture being cleaned.
Still further, the proposed device has a built-in means for initiating an ice breaking action by creating localized pressure areas on the surface of the ice being removed.
More particularly, the proposed device has a breaking assembly for breaking slabs of ice prior to having the scraping assembly scrape the fragmented slabs off from the roof top of the vehicle.
Also, the proposed device is specifically designed so as to be manufacturable using conventional forms of manufacturing so as to provide a snow removing device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a device for removing snow accumulation from a vehicle roof, the vehicle roof being part of a vehicle, the vehicle being supported on a ground surface, the device comprising: a scraping assembly for scrapping the snow accumulation from the vehicle roof, the scrapping assembly including a scrapping blade, the scrapping blade defining a blade lower peripheral edge; a supporting assembly linked to the scrapping assembly for adjustably supporting the scrapping assembly at a distance relative to the ground surface such that the vehicle roof can be positioned underneath the scrapping blade; the supporting assembly including a blade height adjustment means for automatically adjusting the position of the scrapping blade relative to the vehicle roof so as to maintain a predetermined blade spacing between the blade lower peripheral edge and the vehicle roof when the scrapping assembly scrapes the vehicle roof.
Preferably, the blade height adjustment means is attached to the scrapping assembly and positioned such that when the vehicle is moved relative to the scrapping blade in a predetermined vehicle direction the position adjustment means precedes the scrapping blade along the vehicle roof, the blade height adjustment means adjusting the spacing between the blade lower peripheral edge and a predetermined section of the vehicle roof before the scrapping blade reaches the predetermined section of the vehicle roof; whereby when the vehicle approaches the device, the blade height adjustment means contacts the vehicle roof before the scrapping blade and, once the scrapping blade begins scrapping the vehicle roof, the blade height adjustment means allows the blade lower peripheral edge to follow the contour of the vehicle roof while maintaining the predetermined blade spacing relative to the vehicle roof.
Conveniently, the blade height adjustment means includes a height adjustment wheel defining a wheel circumferential surface; the height adjustment wheel being rollably attached to the scrapping blade so as to extend from the scrapping blade in a direction opposite the predetermined vehicle direction; the height adjustment wheel being sized and positioned so that when the wheel circumferential surface contacts the vehicle roof, the height adjustment wheel lifts the scrapping blade away from the vehicle roof so as to maintain the predetermined blade spacing between the blade lower peripheral edge and the vehicle roof.
Preferably, the blade height adjustment means includes a skate component extending from the blade lower peripheral edge, the skate component defining a gliding surface for gliding on the vehicle roof, the skate component being configured and sized so as to maintain the predetermined blade spacing between the blade lower peripheral edge and the vehicle roof as the gliding surface glides on the vehicle roof.
Conveniently, the device further comprises a blade pressure adjustment means for adjusting the amount of pressure exerted by the scrapping assembly on the vehicle roof. Preferably, the blade pressure adjustment means includes a blade counterweight system.
Conveniently, the blade counterweight system includes a blade adjustable weight attached to a first end of a blade counterweight cable, the second end of the blade counterweight cable being attached to the blade assembly, the blade counterweight system also including a blade pulley system for orienting the blade counterweight cable so that the tension created in the blade counterweight cable by the adjustable weight pulls the scrapping assembly upwardly so as to reduce the amount of pressure exerted by the scrapping assembly on the vehicle roof.
Preferably, the scrapping assembly further includes a substantially resilient skirt extending from the scrapping blade so as to fill the predetermined blade spacing and so as to contact the vehicle roof when the scrapping assembly scrapes the vehicle roof. Conveniently, the device further comprises a breaking assembly for breaking slabs of hardened snow and ice supported on the vehicle roof, the breaking assembly being attached to the supporting assembly.
Preferably, the breaking assembly is positioned so that when the vehicle is moved relative to the scrapping blade in the predetermined vehicle direction the breaking assembly precedes the scrapping blade along the vehicle roof.
Conveniently, the breaking assembly is provided with a breaking assembly height adjustment means for adjusting the height of the breaking assembly whereby the a breaking assembly height adjustment means allows the breaking assembly to be selectively put into contact with the vehicle roof and to selectively follow the contour of the vehicle roof.
Preferably, the device further comprises a breaking assembly pressure adjustment means for adjusting the amount of pressure exerted by the breaking assembly on the vehicle roof. Conveniently, the braking assembly pressure adjustment means includes a braking assembly counterweight system. Preferably, the breaking assembly includes a breaking roller rotatably attached to the supporting assembly, the breaking roller defining a generally radially extending braking blade.
Conveniently, the device further comprises an breaking assembly for breaking slabs of hardened snow and ice supported on the vehicle roof, the breaking assembly including a breaking roller rotatably attached to a breaking roller arm, the breaking roller arm being pivotally attached to the supporting assembly, the breaking roller defining a set of generally radially extending braking blades; the breaking assembly being provided with a breaking assembly height adjustment means for adjusting the height of the breaking assembly; the breaking assembly being also provided with a breaking assembly pressure adjustment means for adjusting the amount of pressure exerted by the breaking assembly on the vehicle roof, the braking assembly pressure adjustment means including a braking assembly counterweight system.
Preferably, the device further comprises a manual overriding means for allowing manual overriding of the automatic height adjustment provided by the blade height adjustment means.
Conveniently, the supporting assembly includes a supporting frame, the supporting frame including a pair of generally vertically oriented frame posts, the frame posts being anchored to the ground surface and horizontally spaced relative to each other so as to allow through passage of the vehicle therebetween; a blade carriage attached to the scrapping assembly, the blade carriage being slidably mounted between the frame posts; a carriage guiding means positioned between the frame posts and the blade carriage for guiding the vertical movement of the blade carriage along the frame posts while reducing the friction between the blade carriage and the frame posts.
In accordance with the present invention, there is also provided a device for removing snow accumulation from a vehicle roof, the vehicle roof being part of a vehicle, the vehicle being supported on a ground surface, the device comprising: a scraping assembly for scrapping the snow accumulation from the vehicle roof, the scrapping assembly including a scrapping blade, the scrapping blade defining a blade lower peripheral edge; a supporting assembly linked to the scrapping assembly for adjustably supporting the scrapping assembly at a distance relative to the ground surface such that the vehicle roof can be positioned underneath the scrapping blade; an breaking assembly for breaking slabs of hardened snow and ice supported on the vehicle roof, the breaking assembly being attached to the supporting assembly.
Conveniently, the breaking assembly is positioned so that when the vehicle is moved relative to the scrapping blade in the predetermined vehicle direction the breaking assembly precedes the scrapping blade along the vehicle roof. Preferably, the breaking assembly is provided with a breaking assembly height adjustment means for adjusting the height of the breaking assembly whereby the a breaking assembly height adjustment means allows the breaking assembly to be selectively put into contact with the vehicle roof and to selectively follow the contour of the vehicle roof.